The Kyrgyz film “Deal at the Border,” directed by Dastan Zhapar Ryskeldi, was the subject of a press conference held on Friday, 28 November at Honar Shahr Aftab Cineplex in Shiraz. The director attended the session alongside lead actor Meerim Atantaeva, as the film screens in the International Competition section of the 43rd Fajr International Film Festival.
The film follows two smugglers, Aza and Samat, navigating treacherous mountain routes along the Kyrgyz–Kazakh border. Their lives spiral into danger when they encounter Nazik, a young girl fleeing human traffickers, creating a tense story about survival, morality, and the harsh realities of modern slavery.
Ryskeldi explained, “My film addresses a serious social issue that is common in Central Asia—human trafficking. We wanted to show a reality in Kyrgyzstan, but when we screened it to other filmmakers, they said this is a global problem, not just limited to our country. According to statistics, fifty million people are enslaved today. This is a challenge of the modern world.”
Meerim Atantaeva reflected on her role, noting, “I entered acting without formal education, having studied economics and art design, yet I have appeared in about 20 films and gained extensive experience. In this film, I play a divorced woman whose story exposes domestic abuse and the coercion women face in their homes.”
Ryskeldi also shared a personal inspiration behind the story. “Twenty years ago, my brother went to Kazakhstan for work after finishing school. The foreman took his passport, and he was forced to work for a month without pay. Realizing it would continue, he decided to escape, swimming across a risky river. This experience motivated me to make this film,” he said.
He added, “The border in this story symbolizes the threshold between life and death. In anyone’s life, moments may come when you have to make a choice—this border is that decisive line.”
The director confirmed that most of the film’s budget came from the government, with 20 percent covered privately. “In Kyrgyzstan, the state funds most drama and social-issue films. Around ten percent of films receive state support, while 90 percent of comedies are privately financed. I studied directing at the State Art Institute and collaborated with my mentors, including Timur Nazarov, on several projects,” he explained.
The 43rd edition of the Fajr International Film Festival is underway in Shiraz, running from November 26 to December 3, 2025, bringing together filmmakers, critics, and audiences from around the world for screenings, discussions, and cultural events celebrating the diversity of global cinema.
